“Kevin Costner Reflects on His Departure from ‘Yellowstone’: ‘It Was a Transformative Experience'”

Kevin Costner announced Thursday night via Instagram that he will not be returning for another season of Yellowstone.

“Hi, everyone. After a long year and a half working on Horizon and reflecting on Yellowstone, the series that I hold dear and know you do as well, I’ve come to the decision that I won’t be continuing with Season 5 or beyond,” Costner shared in his post.

“It was a transformative experience for me. I cherished the time on the show and the connection with all of you. However, I want to let you know that I won’t be coming back. I value the relationship we’ve built, and I look forward to seeing you at the movies.”

Costner, 69, who has played John Dutton III for five seasons, expressed his love for the show but admitted he was “disappointed” with how the rumors about his exit were handled by the production team.

“I loved the show, the people, and the world it portrayed,” Costner said. “However, there was a period of 14 months when the show effectively halted for me. I could have been doing other things during that time but wasn’t aware the delay would be so prolonged.”

Costner also expressed frustration with how his contribution was perceived. “I read all the stories and felt let down that no one from their side defended the efforts I put in. I wondered, ‘When will someone acknowledge what I’ve done for them versus what I haven’t?’”

He explained that the show didn’t have scripts for the second half of the season, complicating his ability to juggle work between Horizon and Yellowstone.

“I left my movie, Horizon, to meet their deadline for Season 5B,” Costner recounted. “I left when they requested to help them complete the first eight episodes. It was difficult for me, and I felt bad that the audience didn’t get the full ten episodes because they didn’t have the scripts. They needed an additional four days to finish the first eight. I tried to be accommodating, even offering to work an extra week despite not having it to spare. However, this was misinterpreted as me only wanting to work a week, which was not the case.”